Britain and Europe.

[Florestan]

If allowing people to vote is such a horrendous crime

He wasn´t "allowing people to vote": there was no widespread campaign for Brexit with overwhelming nationwide support to begin with. He rather "forced" people to vote in the foolish hope that the outcome will secure his position as leader of the Tories and silence the internal opposition. IOW, he played with fire and burnt not only himself in the process.

[Luke]

Here are my predictions:

• Rivers will overflow their banks
• The moon will spin out of orbit
• Women will grow beards

I stake out these claims now, clearly, to firmly establish myself as the least alarmist poster on this topic.

Well, you are some prophet - the first already happened! The consequent flooding of polling station was one of the reasons for the 1-2% lower turnout in parts of London (which must have shrunk the Remain vote somewhat).

[Florestan]

Headline at the online Washington Post: "Russian politicians seem very happy about the Brexit"

Hy, конечно. 

We in the US are so committed to believing in democracy as an axiomatic good that we fail to read our Plato (see US Presidency thread).

Is the US a democracy or a constitutional republic? In the same thread people argued for the latter. 

[(poco) Sforzando]

Here are my predictions:

• Rivers will overflow their banks
• The moon will spin out of orbit
• Women will grow beards

I stake out these claims now, clearly, to firmly establish myself as the least alarmist poster on this topic.

Well, good for you, Ken. A bit of Trumpian self-congratulation always goes far.

[Karl Henning]

Hy, конечно. 

"Even Russian politicians are entitled to a little happiness!" 

[(poco) Sforzando]

Is the US a democracy or a constitutional republic? In the same thread people argued for the latter. 

Definitely so as envisioned by the founders. But not so in the minds of much of the populace, which is the source of considerable political tension.

[Karl Henning]

Well, the Dow is having a rough morning of it.

[Florestan]

If allowing people to vote is such a horrendous crime

Actually, allowing uninformed people to vote on complex issues which involves much more than meets the eye and might have dire consequences for the future of the whole world is more than a crime, it is a mistake.  

[Todd]

A message for Britons:

https://www.youtube.com/v/oAKG-kbKeIo

[Florestan]

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/24/david-cameron-downfall-european-tragedy

Excellent article, very informative and helpful, thanks for posting it.

[Ken B]

Actually, allowing uninformed people to vote on complex issues which involves much more than meets the eye and might have dire consequences for the future of the whole world is more than a crime, it is a mistake.  

You are ignoring the context. The question was, Is Cameron the worst PM in English history for this supposed crime. Tad hyperbolic, no?

[Karl Henning]

Trump celebrates Brexit vote: 'When the pound goes down, more people are coming to Turnberry.'

Next: El Tupé sez we need a weak dollar to win more business!  Come buy our Coke Zero!

[Florestan]

The question was, Is Cameron the worst PM in English history for this supposed crime. Tad hyperbolic, no?

Well, he might have set in motion at a moment when he was under no popular pressure, and solely for party strife reasons an inexorable course towards UK´s disintegration. 

[Florestan]

Next: El Tupé sez we need a weak dollar to win more business!  Come buy our Coke Zero!

One of the outcomes of the Brexit is that it turned me into a firm supporter of Hillary for President... A weakened EU is bad enough, but combine it with a weakened NATO and there you have an unmitigated disaster. The Western world can simply not afford Mr. Putin to score twice in the same year. 

[Brian]

You are ignoring the context. The question was, Is Cameron the worst PM in English history for this supposed crime. Tad hyperbolic, no?

"Crime" was not used nor implied.

And I don't think it's hyperbolic if Scotland leaves and the UK dissolves.

[Ken B]

Next: El Tupé sez we need a weak dollar to win more business!  Come buy our Coke Zero!

I am struck by the flat assumption here (not just you Karl, but many here)  that a high currency is ipso facto a good thing. If that were true no-one would ever devaluate. But it isn't true. The Brits hiked their currency sharply in 1926 and that contributed to bringing the depression to its shores and setting off the General Strike. Was than an unalloyed good? The Greeks could not devaluate in recent years, disastrously. If your export sector is suffering a devaluation might be every beneficial. There is no one level a currency should be at, and a fall or a rise will benefit some and hurt others.

[(poco) Sforzando]

One of the outcomes of the Brexit is that it turned me into a firm supporter of Hillary for President... A weakened EU is bad enough, but combine it with a weakened NATO and there you have an unmitigated disaster. The Western world can simply not afford Mr. Putin to score twice in the same year. 

I'm afraid, however, that as a Romanian you are not eligible. And while the ancient Greeks and early Americans allowed only free male citizens to vote, presumably because they were considered the more enlightened members of society, most citizens over 18 in the US (with some exceptions like convicted felons in most states) are given the vote today regardless of education. That's democracy, baby!

"You should be women, / And yet your beards forbid me to interpret / That you are so."
- the Scottish play

[Florestan]

I'm afraid, however, that as a Romanian you are not eligible.

Not even eligible for having my fingers crossed for Hillary? 

And while the ancient Greeks and early Americans allowed only free male citizens to vote, presumably because they were considered the more enlightened members of society, most citizens over 18 in the US (with some exceptions like convicted felons in most states) are given the vote today regardless of education. That's democracy, baby!

I thought you were a constitutional republic, not a democracy. 

[(poco) Sforzando]

Well, the Dow is having a rough morning of it.

Also the Nikkei 225, the CAC 40, the FTSE, you name it. Investors world-wide are gonna lose a lot of money today. Thanks, Dave!

[(poco) Sforzando]

Not even eligible for having my fingers crossed for Hillary? 

Fingers are not prohibited.